Getty Trent Williams in street cloths.
Not only did the San Francisco 49ers lose to the Denver Broncos in Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season, but to add insult to injury, they also lost franchise left tackle Trent Williams, who was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.
Suffered on an instantly infamous play where Jimmy Garoppolo recorded a safety before then throwing an interception to Bradley Chubb, Williams was rolled up by Dre’Mont Jones at the Niners’ goal line and had to be helped off the field before play could continue.
In the moment, Williams’ ability to walk off the field himself was a good sign, as he waved off a cart and was cheered into the locker room, but fans would have to wait until after the game to secure a proper initial diagnosis from the man known as the “Silverback.”
Kyle Shanahan told reporters after the game that the diagnosis was a high ankle sprain and will keep Williams out of action for “some time.”
Though Williams was lucky to avoid a season-ending injury and may not even end up on IR depending on the severity of his particular sprain, the Niners will at least be without their franchise tackle in Week 4, when San Francisco welcomes the Los Angeles Rams to town.
Tevin Coleman Missed a Month With a High Ankle Sprain in 2019
In Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season, then-Niners running back Tevin Coleman suffered a high ankle sprain of his own just 18 snaps into San Francisco’s eventual win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This injury also didn’t result in a trip to IR and ultimately kept Coleman out of action until Week 5, when he returned against the Cleveland Browns after San Francisco’s Bye. Though Coleman didn’t start that game, he was incredibly effective on the field in limited action, rushing the ball 16 times for 97 yards and a touchdown.
With the Niners’ Bye week not scheduled until Week 9, Williams won’t be afforded the same leeway as Coleman, but if he can return on the same timetable, it will undoubtedly benefit Garoppolo and company moving forward.
Meet 49ers Tackles Colton McKivitz & Jaylon Moore
When Williams left the game, Jaylon Moore was inserted into the starting lineup to replace the nine-time Pro Bowler. A former fifth-round pick out of Western Michigan in 2021, Moore started three games for the Niners as a rookie, one at left tackle and two at right tackle, and was expected to play a similarly swing role in 2022.
After a few rough series, Williams was replaced at left tackle by Colton McKivitz, who was on the injury report with a hurt ankle. A fifth-round pick himself in 2020 out of West Virginia, McKivitz has also been used as a spot starter over the course of his three-year run in San Francisco and even logged a pair of snaps in Week 2 as an additional swing tackle on offense.
Unless John Lynch has a trick up his sleeves to replace Williams with external talent, the combination of Moore and McKivitz will all but surely be counted on until Williams is able to return.